Program overview
Plasma physics might sound profound, but it actually studies what we often call the "fourth state of matter"—things like lightning, auroras, and the glowing gas in fluorescent lights are all plasma. This major mainly covers two parts: high-temperature plasma, aiming to achieve controlled nuclear fusion and solve energy problems; and low-temperature plasma, widely used in semiconductor chip manufacturing, material processing, biomedicine, and more. Core courses include Introduction to Plasma Physics, Magnetohydrodynamics, Plasma Diagnostic Techniques, and Fusion Plasma Physics. If you enjoy physics and math, have strong hands-on skills, and are interested in energy, chips, or aerospace, this major is a great fit. Chinese universities have unique strengths in this field—for example, the University of Science and Technology of China, Zhejiang University, and Peking University, which collaborate closely with the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (EAST tokamak), giving students opportunities to participate in international cutting-edge experiments. Additionally, Tsinghua University and Xi'an Jiaotong University have strong programs in low-temperature plasma.